You’re Going to Want to Check Your Email This Sunday
A Note From Fatty: The response to Susan’s jewelry has been as overwhelming as it has been gratifying. More than 80 of you have ordered bracelets. Having raised $8600 in just a couple days, Susan herself is currently the top fundraising individual in Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan.
I think that’s pretty fitting, don’t you?
Wisely, Susan is now requesting that no more orders for bracelets be made until she takes care of this first batch. You can bet I’ll post again when she’s ready to do more.
Time’s Almost Up
Tomorrow (Saturday, January 31) is the last day you can enter the raffle for the Gary Fisher Superfly Singlespeed. I’ll do the drawing and notify the winners on Sunday, and hope to announce the winners this Monday.
This bike is one of the most coveted mountain bikes in the world: a carbon-fiber frameset designed to be built up as an incredibly fast, light singlespeed.
And they’re not for sale. Anywhere. As far as I know, if you haven’t already got one on order, this raffle is the only way you can get one.
Check it out:
(Build in photo for illustration purposes only. Components will be different on actual bike)
And you’re not going to just get the frameset, either. SLC Bicycle Company will provide the build for the bike and ship it to you. Massive kudos to Brent Hulme (owner and operator of SLC Bikes) for volunteering to take this on. Building up a bike like this so that the components are as nice as the frame is certainly not an inexpensive project.
But — just in case you forgot — this raffle isn’t just for a bike. You could also win a signed and framed poster of Lance Armstrong:
Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Gary Fisher Bikes, Brent Hulme (SLC Bikes), Travis Ott (Gary Fisher Brand Manager), and Eric “Hootie” Bjorlin (Trek Pavement Brand Manager). Thanks to them, I’m able to offer you some incredible prizes to help make our fight against cancer a lot more fun.
How to Donate to Win
How can you enter to win? Well, you can donate money at my LiveStrong Challenge page, or, if you’re a member of Team Fatty, you can collect donations at your own LiveStrong Challenge page. Either way, every $5 gets you another virtual raffle ticket for the drawings I do this Sunday.
And remember, every donation helps, and any amount can make you a winner. Think about this for a second: Last year, Matt Ming put in an extra shift at the restaurant where he works so he could donate $100, on the last day of the raffle for the Ibis. And now he’s the owner of the road bike of his dreams.
You Ought to Join Team Fatty
Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan (Team Fatty for short) has an ambitious goal for 2009: to raise $1,000,000 to help the Lance Armstrong Foundation fight cancer. We’ve got a good start, but we need more help. Why don’t you join Team Fatty today, then get some of your friends to donate at your LiveStrong Challenge page? You’ll feel good about what you’ve done, and you just might win an incredibly cool bike.
To join, here’s what you’ve got to do:
First, you’ve got to decide which event you want to be part of: Austin, San Jose, Seattle, or Philadelphia. If you’re just planning on fundraising — not attending an event — then pick whichever city you most closely identify with. Then, just follow these steps:
- Click one of the below links to go to the Team Fatty page for that city:
- Click the “Join Our Team” link.
- Fill out the form. Note that the $50 registration fee is the same, whether you do one of the rides, the run/walk, or join the virtual challenge.
And here’s something to think about: The next big contest is going to be open to members of Team Fatty only. And believe me, you will not want to miss out on it.
A Little Bit of Chest Thumping
To those of you who are members of Team Fatty, thanks for all you’ve done so far. Here are some bragging rights we’ve earned together:
- As of today, we have raised $102,000. Yes, that’s right. We’re officially in the six-figure zone!
- There are 342 members of Team Fatty. Originally, I had hoped we could get 1000 members, but maybe 500 members is more realistic. Here’s what I’d like Team Fatty members to do: ask a friend to join. There is strength in numbers, and we are working for a cause that requires a lot of strength.
- We are the top fundraising team in all four event cities.
- Team Fatty is responsible for about a quarter (24%) of all LiveStrong Challenge funds raised so far this year.
- Team Fatty has raised more than half of all LiveStrong Challenge funds for the Seattle event
In short, we are kicking butt and making a difference. Thank you.
Comment by Aaron | 01.30.2009 | 11:39 am
That’s awesome that Team Fatty is number one. Now, we need to keep it there. And I really hope to hear from you on Sunday. Mmmmmmm, carbon fiber tastiness.
Comment by Clydesteve | 01.30.2009 | 11:55 am
Yes, Aaron, you are really going to enjoy the carbon fiber frame on that Lance poster. While I try not to drool on the bike.
Comment by WheelDancer | 01.30.2009 | 12:01 pm
So it looks like Aaron and Clydesteve have taken the prizes already (I really have to get up earlier…) but I have a toe dipped into the pool and will accept having moved cancer down a peg as a consolation prize.
Win Susan!
Comment by Mike | 01.30.2009 | 12:01 pm
Go Team! 20,400 raffle tickets out there right now, eh? That’s better odds than the lottery at least. -mike
Comment by Clydesteve | 01.30.2009 | 12:19 pm
throwdown
Dear Land of the western sun,
Team Fatty: Fighting for Susan (San Jose) needs your support! The San Jose version of Team Fatty needs the local folks from California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada to get on board and join Team Fat Cyclist.
Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting For Susan Seattle, Austin and Philly are all kicking your butt! For number of team members and for $$ raised.
Philly, I can understand. I mean it’s the only Livestrong Challenge near the densely populated eastern seaboard.
Austin, I can understand. Austin the the main LSC event. It is the center of Lance-dom. And Texas is bigger than California.
But Seattle? Seattle is substituting for Portland this year due to scheduling conflicts. So Seattle is a rookie LSC city. Seattle is just as soggy, and a little colder than my native Oregon. And population: Washington?, Idaho?, Montana?, Utah?, Oregon? Wyoming, perhaps? We donna have much a that.
I thought California was trend setter for the Nation, New Mexico the Land of Opportunity (here’s one!), Arizona the Land of Sunny Money (at least sign up as a virtual team member and donate!)
Is the sun gettin’ in your eyes? Has it made you fat, sassy and complacent? Lost your way home from the beach? Hmmm? Get in gear, you sunny SW staters –
Join Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan, San Jose and start pulling your weight.
This gauntlet has been teasingly thrown down by Team Fat Cyclist: Fighting for Susan, Seattle
:P
Comment by jenjen | 01.30.2009 | 12:38 pm
Great news about the fundraiser. Yay for Susan!
Jen
Comment by Ryan | 01.30.2009 | 12:38 pm
I’m with Clydesteve, come on California, I will be flying out from Utah to ride with you.
WIN
Comment by MikeonHisBike | 01.30.2009 | 1:05 pm
You can try California but Seattle is still going to lay a good butt whoopin on you.
Mike
http://www.mikeonhisbike.blogspot.com
Comment by Slow Rider | 01.30.2009 | 1:11 pm
I hate to break the news to all of you but Philly will be the #1 local in the end! I may just have to ride my new single speed in the ride. Yes, I call dibbs on that bike!
http://loveandtwowheels.blogspot.com/
Comment by Erine | 01.30.2009 | 1:26 pm
Susan, you are amazing. Fatty, you’re not so bad yourself!
Comment by Jodi | 01.30.2009 | 1:35 pm
I hope those twin girls and two tweener boys are helping their mom! Looks like a lot of bracelet making is going to be happening in that house.
Nice job Elden. Great work, Susan.
Comment by Don | 01.30.2009 | 1:41 pm
Woo HOOOO!! Go Team Fatty!
Poor Susan is going to be an awfully busy gal! Susan ROCKS!! WIN!
I’ll likely have to shop for the wife when batch two comes around.
Hey Fatty, have enough chains?!
God Bless, guys!!
Don
Comment by Di | 01.30.2009 | 1:44 pm
What is the most ever raised by a team?
Comment by bradk | 01.30.2009 | 1:45 pm
Fatty, Look what you’ve done. Very impressive. I’m so impressed with you I think you deserve a manhug. I’m going to give you a great big manhug next time I see you. I know how much you like manhugs, any hugs for that matter. Oh, and I just picked up some snails and hotsauce.
Comment by rexinsea | 01.30.2009 | 1:46 pm
CA doesn’t have a chance! Nice work Fatty and Susan. You should be proud.
Comment by Rider 3 | 01.30.2009 | 1:52 pm
Amazing. I wanted to order a bracelet, but will watch for the next opportunity.
As an homage to Fatty, a fake Lance news conference at Team Two Wheel blog.
Rider 3
Comment by ron | 01.30.2009 | 2:02 pm
Sorry Steve I am in AZ and I signed up for Austin, had I only have known that Cali could not hold their own. Well off to raise more money its tax time and there will be some people getting refund and even if they don’t I want to start them off right this year with a tax deductible donation :)
Comment by pikkumatti | 01.30.2009 | 2:20 pm
Fatty, I am honored to have just put your personal amount over $17000! (I’m not claiming THAT much credit, it was pretty close when I got there.)
You are doing great work.
Comment by Woody | 01.30.2009 | 2:58 pm
WOW!!
Comment by Mike Roadie | 01.30.2009 | 3:28 pm
Remember, “A” comes FIRST….and that’s why the “A” team, Team Fatty AUSTIN, is and always will be number one!!
WE put the “fight” in “Fighting for Susan”
LiveSTRONG and WIN!!!!
Comment by Mike Roadie | 01.30.2009 | 3:29 pm
PS….Elden…..I still want to buy one!
Comment by Mike P | 01.30.2009 | 3:41 pm
That poster’s gonna look real good on the blank spot of my office wall that I stare at every day.
The LSC event in the Midwest is the best by far… err… hmm… well, maybe next year. I guess go Philly? Geographically speaking, it’s probably the closest to Chicago.
Comment by oilcanracer | 01.30.2009 | 5:34 pm
slc bicycle shop doesn’t have to ship my superfly SS, i’ll just go down and pick it up!!!
glad we can all help and that is great news about the braclet orders…
Comment by Kathleen | 01.30.2009 | 6:02 pm
First of all, 80 bracelets! That’s fantastic. And a bit daunting. I hope Jennifer comes back to help (and Jeff to play more Guitar Hero).
Secondly, us Californians are just a tad more laid back than you poor people who live in the land without sun. We’ve been too busy playing outside to seriously kickstart our fundraising. Have no fear, we will RULE! Ha!
Comment by Bluenoser | 01.30.2009 | 8:00 pm
I’m satisfied with the fatty jersey.
-B
Comment by Andrea | 01.30.2009 | 9:27 pm
Way to go Team Fatty!
Comment by Nearly Famous Fred | 01.30.2009 | 10:26 pm
Please let us know when Susan is accepting orders again. Want my bracelet.
Nearly Famous Fred
nearlyfamousfred.blogspot.com
Comment by anne | 01.31.2009 | 2:24 pm
i donated; thank you for this opportunity. i’m a huge cycling fan (as well as a rider), and feel lucky that my company little company can support efforts like this. last year knitters were successful in helping claudia (www.claudiasblog.com) ride as #1 for MS; it’s great to be part of another #1 effort.
Comment by Joel | 01.31.2009 | 6:38 pm
Superfly SS’s are on sale, just not to you. Trek offered frameset to employees last August, they should be shipping soon. I just didn’t have the cash, even though they are stellar deals. Two co-workers ordered one.
Comment by fatty | 01.31.2009 | 8:11 pm
joel – you mean Superfly SS’s WERE on sale. in my post, I said:
“As far as I know, if you haven’t already got one on order, this raffle is the only way you can get one.”
Is that not accurate?
Comment by Peter | 01.31.2009 | 9:53 pm
T-minus 3 hours ’til there are two very happy & fat riders! I’m happy just to help…but it’d be SWEET to add a SS Superfly to it’s geared sister in my garage.
tick-tock tick-tock…
Comment by Don | 02.1.2009 | 8:29 am
Fatty’s right! He did say “As far as I know, if you haven’t already got one on order, this raffle is the only way you can get one.”
Anyway, I’ll be in and out today Fatty. So when I get the email I’ll shoot you one back as soon as I get in. Yes, I’m implying that the planets will align on my side! You’ve seen “The Secret” (said in a whispy magical sounding voice) haven’t you?
Comment by mary | 02.1.2009 | 4:51 pm
uh fatty the super bowl is about to start and I have yet to receive my email saying I WON THE DRAWING. I am sure it will come during half time or perhaps even after the game :-)
Comment by fatty | 02.1.2009 | 7:56 pm
I’ve sent the email out to the winner. If you didn’t get it…you didn’t get it.
Haven’t heard back from the winner yet, though. Someone’s won an awesome bike and doesn’t know it yet. Probably going to have a really happy surprise when checking email at work tomorrow.
Comment by Peter | 02.1.2009 | 10:16 pm
I just know that my email server must be down…gotta be down…right? Lemme hit REFRESH again…how about now…darn.
Well, a big congrats to the lucky winners!
Comment by Mike Roadie | 02.2.2009 | 6:04 am
And the winner is????????????